The instant invention relates to protective eyewear, and more particularly to a pair of protective eyeglasses which is adjustable to accommodate different wearers and adapted to be comfortably worn for prolonged periods of time.
While a variety of different types of protective eyeglasses have been heretofore available for protecting the eyes of wearers during participation in hazardous activities, most of the heretofore available protective eyeglasses have not been adapted to be both comfortably worn and adjusted to fit different wearers. Hence, in many cases wearers have been forced to wear uncomfortable, poorly fitting protective eyewear. Further, in some cases, persons have disregarded proper safety procedures, and they failed to wear protective eyewear rather than wearing uncomfortable, poorly fitting safety glasses.
Although protective eyewear having pivotally adjustable temple frame pieces have been previously available, they have generally been either relatively complicated or less than entirely effective. In this regard, the U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,291 to Nussbickl, discloses a safety goggles construction which is effective but relatively complicated. Another previously available eyeglasses construction which, in addition to the Nussbickl patent, represents the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware comprises temple frame pieces which include first and second portions having knurled arcuate surfaces which are received in engagement for adjustably securing the angular positions of the first and second portions. However, it has been found that the knurled surfaces of the first and second portions of temple frame pieces of this type tend to wear quickly, so that they lose their effectiveness for securing the positions of the first and second portions. Hence, these prior art eyeglasses constructions are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention.
The instant invention provides an effective protective eyeglasses construction which is adjustable to fit various wearers, and which is adapted to be comfortably worn by wearers for prolonged periods of time. Specifically, the instant invention provides a protective eyeglasses construction comprising a frame portion including a lens frame piece and a pair of temple frame pieces which are hingeably attached to the lens frame piece, wherein the temple frame pieces are angularly adjustable about substantially horizontal pivot axes relative to the lens frame piece and longitudinally adjustable to different lengths. The eyeglasses further includes a cushioning brow bar on the upper portion of the lens frame piece for cushioning the forehead of a wearer against shocks transmitted thereto from the eyeglasses, and the temple frame pieces preferably include rear cable sections comprising resilient inner cores made from a relatively hard resilient thermoplastic material and outer layers made from a thermoplastic rubber material and integrally molded on the inner cores.
The temple frame pieces of the eyeglasses include first portions which are hingeably attached to the lens frame piece, and second portions which are pivotally attached to the respective first portions thereof for pivoting about substantially horizontal pivot axes. The first and second portions of the temple frame pieces include closely spaced arcuate surfaces which are substantially concentric with respect to the pivot axes between the respective first and second portions thereof. Further, one of the arcuate surfaces of each temple frame piece has a plurality of ribs thereon and the other arcuate surface of each temple frame piece has a detent thereon which is receivable in engagement with the ribs on the respective other arcuate surface of the same temple frame piece for adjustably securing the relative positions of the first and second portions. Still further, one of the first or second portions of each temple frame piece preferably has a spring slot formed therein adjacent the arcuate surface thereof to allow the arcuate surface thereof to be deflected inwardly slightly as the respective detent of the temple frame piece is passed over the respective ribs thereof. The temple frame pieces are preferably made from a resilient plastic material, and the arcuate surfaces on the first and second portions of the temple frame pieces preferably extend over arcs of less than approximately 180.degree.. The second portions of the temple frame pieces preferably include telescoping front and rear portions and the front portions preferably each have a plurality of longitudinally spaced positioning slots therein. Each of the rear portions preferably has a detent thereon which is receivable in the positioning slots in the respective front portion thereof for releasably securing the relative position of the front and rear portions. In addition, each of the front portions preferably has an elongated longitudinally extending guide slot formed therein, and each of the rear portions preferably has a pin thereon which travels in the guide slot in the front portion thereof for limiting the extent of the longitudinal travel of the rear portions relative to the front portions. In addition, each of the rear portions preferably has a spring slot formed therein adjacent the detent thereon to permit the detent to be deflected inwardly slightly as it is moved between different positioning slots in the respective front portion thereof. Still further, each of the rear portions preferably includes a blade portion which terminates in a tapered terminal end portion, and the pin of each of the rear portions is preferably disposed on the terminal end portion of the blade portion thereof so that it is removable from the respective guide slot thereof by deflecting the tapered terminal end portion away from the guide slot.
It has been found that the protective eyeglasses of the instant invention can be effectively adjusted to fit various wearers and that it can be comfortably worn for prolonged periods of time. Specifically, it has been found that because the second portions of the temple frame pieces are pivotable relative to the first portions and because the rear portions of the temple frame pieces are telescopically adjustable relative to the front portions thereof, the temple frame pieces can be effectively adjusted to accommodate various different wearers. It has been further found that because the protective eyeglasses include a resilient brow bar which is engageable with the forehead of a wearer for protecting the wearer against physical shocks, the eyeglasses of the subject invention are even still more effective. Even still further, it has been found that because the temple frame pieces preferably include composite rear cable sections, the eyeglasses are adapted to be positively yet comfortably retained in position on a wearer.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a pair of protective eyeglasses which can be comfortably worn for a prolonged period of time.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a pair of protective eyeglasses which can be easily adjusted to accommodate various different wearers.
A still further object of the instant invention is to provide a pair of protective eyeglasses comprising a pair of temple frame pieces which can be angularly adjusted relative to a lens frame piece, and longitudinally adjusted to various lengths.
An even still further object of the instant invention is to provide a pair of protective eyeglasses comprising a lens frame piece and a brow bar on the lens frame piece which is engageable with the forehead of a wearer for cushioning the wearer's forehead against shocks delivered to the lens frame piece.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.